The present disclosure relates to an electromechanical relay having a controller.
Different types of relays are used in different applications. Typical applications in the industrial sector are the actuation of electrical loads, which may be resistive, inductive or capacitive loads.
Since a relay is an electromechanical component, the relay always exhibits a mechanical behaviour during operation. Hence, when the relay is activated, the relay contacts can momentarily bounce or flutter before the relay contacts ultimately arrive at the final position. Furthermore, there is the risk of large electrical or magnetic fields in the phase of contact bouncing, particularly when a relay contact is closed at the voltage maximum or opened at the current maximum, which can additionally result in the formation of an undesirable arc and of an arc voltage across the open relay contact.
If the arc has a sufficiently high level of energy, the arc can damage the relay contacts in the relay. Furthermore, the arc can weld the contacts to one another as a result of the production of heat.
It is therefore the object of the present disclosure to provide an improved relay.